an attractive alternative to university

2017 programme start: 11.09.2017

2018 programme start: 05.03.2018

As of Saturday 4th August 2012 our Chinese Foreign Language Correspondence Clerk training programme holds state recognition.
We are the only school in Baden-Württemberg and one of just three in the whole of Germany to train state recognised foreign language correspondence clerks in Chinese.The course is offered either on a two-language (English and Chinese), three-language (English and Chinese with French or Spanish) or four-language (English and Chinese with French and Spanish) basis.

Requirements

General prerequisites are, naturally, enthusiasm and an interest both in learning foreign languages and developing business and cultural relationships.
Admission to the course requires English skills at level B1 of the European Framework of Reference. However, no previous knowledge of Chinese, French or Spanish is necessary.
Course content
During the two-year, full-time course, students are trained in administrative and commercial subjects alongside their target languages. They also receive comprehensive IT training.
In the language component of the course, students learn the four basic skills of language acquisition – reading, writing, comprehension and writing. They learn the challenging Chinese language from the very beginning and are gradually prepared for communication in everyday and business contexts with Chinese business partners. In addition, trained Sinologists teach students translation from and into Chinese.

Furthermore, the trainee foreign language correspondence clerks gain comprehensive knowledge of the cultural practices of their respective target countries. As a result, upon completion of their training, our graduates are optimally prepared for everyday work in an intercultural setting. Moreover, in the future, there will be ever-greater demand for general intercultural adaptability in various cultural contexts – our fully trained foreign language correspondence clerks are equipped with these essential skills for professional life.

Career prospects: why Chinese?

Chinese is the mother tongue of approximately 1.3 billion people; it is spoken mainly in the People’s Republic of China and in the Republic of China (Taiwan). It cannot be disputed that China is already a major economic power and, in the future, is likely to grow even stronger. The ability to interact at a high level with business partners is set to become one of the most sought-after skills in international commercial professions. With instruction not only in the Chinese language but also in cultural characteristics and traditions, our trainees are ideally prepared for the world’s future economic situation. The doors of opportunity will be wide open to them! F+U also offers a comprehensive focus on China – immersion in the Chinese culture – beyond the classroom, including language tours as well as a language tandem programme. Find out more on our website!

Fields of activity

State recognised foreign language correspondence clerks are able to work in the fields of business, politics, international organisations, teaching and culture. Experience shows that our trainees’ versatility is highly sought after in all these areas!
Funding
The course is eligible for Bafög; up to the age of 18, students can receive Schüler-Bafög (assistance for school pupils), which is a grant and does not have to be repaid. For information on other funding possibilities (child benefit, education loans etc.), please refer to the appropriate page on our website.

Try one of our open days!

You are welcome to experience for yourself a typical day’s study for our trainee Chinese foreign language correspondence clerks – and how your own typical day’s study could look – by coming along to an open day. Just send an email indicating your preferred language combination to languages@fuu.de and arrange an appointment! We look to welcoming you soon!

next programme starting dates: 12.09.2016; 06.03.2017

Foreign language correspondence clerks autonomously deal with domestic and international correspondence, carry out short translations, prepare all the necessary documents for international trade, participate in international trade fairs and exhibitions and maintain contact with suppliers at home and abroad. You can download our brochure "Professional Foreign Languages" here.